Cable layer



June 4, 1940.

I. r. KEMPE 'CABLE Ema Filed Feb. :5, 1,937 a Sheets-Sheer- 1 1. r. KEMPE 4 01mm LAYER rma Feb. 5; 1937 June 4, 1940. j

"5 Shwts-ShetZ I. T. KE MPE June 4, 1940.

cusps mum Filed Feb. s. 193% '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 estates canes Larisa Irwin Trevanion Kempe, Longparish, Andover,

.- England Application February a, 1937, Serial No.- 123,939

In Great Britain February 5, 1936 12 Claims. ((31. Mite-54) This invention relates to apparatus for temporarily laying electric cables such as telephonewires or cables and substantially recovering such laid cables, and it is especially applicable for use? an assembly for rapidly paying out the cable from a drum mounted on a transportable base or car rier, which may be operated from any suitable transport vehicle, through feed rolls on to a hedge or the like or down to the ground, or rapidly reeling it back to the drum,.the feed rolls or the drum beingdr'iven from a source of power carried by the base or the vehicle. g

A further object is the provision of selective transmission devices mounted on the vehicle whereby either the feed rolls can be rotated for mechanically paying out the cable, or the drum' can be revolved for mechanically reeling in the cable, said paying out or reeling in, operation being effected by a common source of power. The transmission devices are driven direct from the power unit of said vehicle or from an independent motor or by hand. Preferably the transmission devices are located intermediate of the feed rolls and the drum.

By means of this invention, the cable drawn from a rotatable storage drum upon a vehicle can be mechanically directed to the destination of the cable. which can thus be deposited, under, over or on top of a hedge, wall or the like and afterwards recovered by reeling it in to said drum.

The invention is hereafter described with reference to the annexed drawings, in which: Fig.1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view and Fig. 3 an end elevation (some parts being removed) oi one form of the apparatus with a cable drum horizontally mounted. Fig. 4 is an elevation on a larger scale of the feed-roll device of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a coupling between a rotatable countershaft and a power-operated flexible shaft. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the cable drum mounted on a vertical axis. Fig. 7 isa sectional elevation of a directive casing for the cable and Fig. 8 is aplan view of part of Fig.7.

In these drawings, I have indicated the cable drum at a, the cable by; b. and the feed-rolls by .0, 0 In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the drum a is shown mounted on a horizontal spindle d journaled in uprights d d upstanding from thebase B. The drum a rotates with spindle d. A small internal crankshaft e on which is mounted a pulley e driving a first-motion belt I. The feed-rolls are shown mounted on a pillar h also upstanding from base B. The upper roller 0 is housed in a casing g and is spring-pressed towards the lower roller 0, and the latter is adapted to be rotated in the manner hereafter described.

Upon the same axis as that of the crankshaft e I pivot a beam 1' which as shown in Fig. 1, can

- combustion engine is indicated at e having a be displaced and inclined to either side of the vertical. In Fig. 3 this beam 2' is shown pivoted at 1' near its lower end in a bracket A mounted on the base'B; This beam may be formed from two channel section girders (see Figs. 2 and 3) placed back to back and it carries between the girders a socket or traveller 1 forming a nut which is engaged by a screwed spindle is fitted with a handwheel 7: and suitably journaled in a bracket as it supported by the uprights (1 upon the machine. The spindle k is provided with collars k to keep itin position relatively to the travelling nut 7'.

By rotating the wheel k the beam 1 can be moved V from one inclined position to another, without altering the desired tension of the belt drive from the engine e. I

A spring-pulled jockey pulley u mounted on a link u pivoted at a to the beam i, which link is connected with a pedal 0 hereafter mentioned, normally maintains the driving tension of the first-motion driving belt I, as seen in Fig. 1.

From the belt pulley e the belt 1 passes to a,

pulley m upon a rotatable control shaft or countershaft m mounted in a tubular housing 2' upon and across the upper end of the beam 2' and displaceable with the latter. This countershaft also carries a belt drum m at the end adjacent to the pulley m and at the other end a belt pulley m Feed roll ;c is provided with a shaft 0 on which a is carried a belt pulley c This pulley c is aligned with belt pulley m on the countershaft m and by means of a belt n, acting as a second motion drive, the roll 0 can be rotated from counter-shaft m. The pressure roll 0 is rotated by reason of its springs holding it towards the travelling cable.

The spindle d for the cable drum a is shown provided with two pulleys d, d aligned with the belt drum m and by means of another second-motion driving belt, shown in slack condition at n but becoming tensioned as shown at n when the beam 1 is rocked over to the left hand side oi its vertical position (as shown in chain lines in mg. l), the spindle d and the cable drum 0 can be rotated at a slow speed on a faster speed, according to which pulley d d is engaged by the said other second-motion belt; in this position, the belta will become slack, leaving the feed rolls c, 0} tree to revolve'as the cable is wound upon the storage drum. 4

The pulley d is provided with internal expanding brakes oi the known kind indicated conven tionally at o to slow the movement of cable-drum a. when necessary and eventually to stop it. A brake pedal 0 serves to apply the brake device 0 by means of arm o 0! bell crank lever 0', o and in a preliminary movement the arm o of that bell crank removes the Jockey pulley u from its tensioning position against belt 1. Further moveo applies the brake 0. A second ment of pedal I pedal 0 serves to separate the upper pressure roll 0 from the lower or driving roll '0 by raising: roll 0 against the action of its spring. This is efiected from pedal 0 by crank arm 0 and link 0' pivoted to crank o", crank at t on the pillar It so that as link 0' draws down that end of the lever t, the other end 0! lever t which is forked above the casing g -.(see Fig. 4) hits the spindle a on which is mounted the spring a bearing on a fork arm a carrying the'roll 2 Instead of the pressure roll 0 being liited by the pedal 0 it 'may be raised by hand by depressing the free end 0! the lever the in the plan view.

Fig. 2.

The cable b is drawn from storage drum a by f the feed rolls 0, c and is delivered or laid where directive casing q. I

8) is formed as a cylinder q with a longitudinal slot for the insertion ot-the cable and it is adjustable for height and inclination. As shown, it is formed as a tubular casing 9', the rolls 0, 0 being in this example laced with rubber and held together by coiled springs q, 01 secured to pins e 11 on casing g and engaging the spindle c of the upper or pressure roll to pull the latter towards the lower or driven roll 0. Thepillar h supports'the casing a by means of trunnions q with looking devices which may be in the form of clamps or wing nuts q to allow the angular elevation or inclination oi 7 the tubular projection q to be changed by adjusting the casing a angularly around the axis 01' the shaft c as desired and then fixed.

When the temporarily laid cable b is to be reeled in on the drum :1, the beami is displaced from the position shown in full linesin Pig. 1 to the position there shown in dotted lines, and the pulley d" (or (1 according to the speed desired) isdriven from belt drum m by means of the other second-motion belt n". The iced rolls c, e are now free to rotate as the cable is drawn through them when the drum a is revolved. The arm p with guiding loop p is controlled by an operator so that the cable b is neatly and compactly wound on the storage drum, being coiled from one side to again.

By means oi the hand wheel k spindle k and. nut 1, the tension of the belt n or 1&2 can be inare eachshown as a flat belt.

O JinkO'tolever t. This lever t is pivoted intermediately or its length the appa between vthose rolls,

projection q from the the other of. the latter and back creased or slackened, as desired. In this way, the speed of the cable drum can be varied from a maximum down to zero. Because thebeam i is pivoted on thesame "axis as the belt pulley c on the independent motor e, the position of the beam-i does not aii'ect the first motion belt drive from motor e to the control shaft or countershait 12:. With advantage, this belt drive from pulley e to countershaft m is by a V-section belt running in V-grooved pulleys. The belts n and n? Where an independent motor (i. e., 'one not connected with the propulsion of a vehicle) is employed the following advantages are obtained:

.(l) The cable-laying apparatus can be quickly transferred to and operated from any form of transport vehicle.

sents no difliculties. (3) When the apparatus is (2) Reeling-in the cable on to a drum mounted on a stationary vehicle prevenient position, it permits the cable to be reeled or unreeled readily either for inspection .or ior repair.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the casing 0 not-only houses the upper or spring-urged pressure roll 0 but also carries rolls a suitably mounted on vertical spindles these spindlesbeing at right angles to those of the horizontal rolls. These vertical rolls 3 are located in pairs on opposite sides of the cable I: as it passes be tween the rolls c, c and they serve to guide the travelling cable.

By temporarily removing one pair of these rolls a, thefcable b can be easily introduced sideways between the mils c and c Instead of providing the motor a. I drive the control shaft m by a flexible shalt 'irom another source of power. Thus, see Fig. 5, I may provide acoupling r between the shaft m and a flexible shaft 1' which latter is driven, from a suitable source of power 1 Drum a in Fig. 1 is supported on a horizontal spindle d but it is possible to mount the drum 0 upon a vertical axis-or spindle. Fig. 6 illustrates this arrangement, in which the drum a is mounted upon a vertical spindle d, and the second motion belt n? from drum m to pulley d on spindle d is given a quarter-twist, the base B preventing this belt from falling 'oi! the pulley (1" when it is slackened and the belt 11, ls tig'ntened for paying out the cablefrom the drum.

.The vertical spindle d is suitably secured in the base 3 ot the apparatus. As stated above, the cable b can be picked up at the rear of the vehicle by means 01 a bight in the cable,.and the length of the bight being regulated .by adapting the speed or the vehicle to the speed of the drum, or vice versa. It only a short length of cable has been laid, it

- could be reeled in while the vehicle is stationary.

' In. addition to laying electric cables or telegraph or telephone wires temporarily as for milltary signalling purposes, the present invention can be employed for other objects such for example, as laying cables temporarily between a power-station and an electrically-operated ploughing tractor for use by farmers, or between delivered behind an advancing vehicle, ior example directlyaaosncs a power-station and electrical pumps where used by a lire-brigade. e

WhatIclaimis:

1. A. transportable wireiaying and recovery device comprising arotatable wire-storage drum, wire-feeding rolls, transmission means including alternatively operative drives to said drum and to said rolls, meansi'or bringing a selected one of 1s, wire- 2. A cable laying and recovery device compriLs-z ing a transportable base, a rotatable cable-storage drum, a pair of cable-feeding rolls, transmissaid drives into operation, and a source of power, said transmission means being connected with said source of power and being adapted by operation of the selected one of said drives to rotate either the said feed-rolls for wire laying or the said wire-storage drum for recovery ota laid sion devices including alternatively operative driving connections to said drum and to said rolls, and means for rendering either of said connections operative, all said drum, rolls and transmission devices being mounted on said base, and said transmission devices being located intermediately or said ,rolls and said drum, and a source of power for driving. said transmission devices, so that either said drum or said rolls can be selectively rotated by the power of said source.

3. A cable laying and recovery device comprising a transportable base, a rotatable cable-store age drum, a pair or cable-feeding rolls, transmission devices including alternatively operative drives to said drum and to said mils, and a source of power for said transmission devices, said drum,

rolls, transmission devices and source of power being supported upon said base, and means for rendering one of said drives operative for rotatingsi'rom said source of power through saidtransl mission devices either said rolls for feeding out cable in wire laying or said drum for recovery of a laid wire. 4. Cable laying apparatus comprising a trans portable base, a rotatable cable-storage drum, a

able carrier, a cable'drum rotatably supported I pair oi cable-feeding rolls and transmission devicesincluding alternatively operative drives to said drum and to said rolls, all said drum, mils transmission devices being mounted on said base, and a source of power, said transmission devices including ,a beam pivotall mounted at its lower end for angular setting either of two positions and a rotatable counter-shalt supported at the upper end 0! said beam, said counter-shatt being driven by said source 01 power and operating to rotate either said drum or said rolls according .to the angular position in which said beam is set.

5. Cable laying apparatus comprising a movon said carrier, a set of cable feeding rolls also supported on said carrier, said rolls including a spring-pressed upper roll and a (to-operating lower roll, a guide supported by said carrier for guiding said cable from said set of rolls on to said drum, a rotatable countershait supported upon said carrier, said countershai't being located intermedlately of said rollaand. cable drum and being operatively connected with a source ofpower, and means for selectively rotating said co-operating roll or said cable drum through said countershaft.

6. A cablelaying and recovery device comprising a transportable carrier, a rotatable cabledrum mounted on said carrier, a set oi? cablei'eeding rolls mounted on said carrier, a source of power located upon said carrier, a rotatable count also 'ported upon said carrier, means for rotating said countershaft from said source 01' power, means for rotating said feed rolls from said countershalt to pay out the cable from said drum through said rolls, means for rotating said drum from said countershait to reel in the cable passing through said rolls, and manually controlled means for bringing either one of said rotating means into operation.

7. ,A cable laying and recovery device comprising a transportable carrier, a rotatable cabledrum mounted on said carrier, a set of cablelceding rolls mounted on said carrier, a source of power located upon saidcarrier, a rotatable countershait also supported upon said carrier,

means for rotating said countershait from said source oi. power, means for rotating said feed rolls from said countershsit to pay out cable from said drum through said rolls, means for rotating said drum from said countershait to reel in alaid cable passing between said rolls, and means for confining the drive from said counterldisplacement of said countershait in relation to 'said drum and said rolls.

8. A cable layer adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and to pay out cable from a cable-drum and also to reel in a laid cable on to a cable shaft to one only of said drum and said rolls by drum, comprising a carrier, a cable-drum support on said carrier, the cable-drum being rotatably mounted on said support, a casing mounted on said carrier, feed-rolls journaled in said casing, a source at power upon said carrier, a rotatable countershait supported on said carrier and connected for rotation by said source of power,

means for selectively driving either of said drum and said teed-rolls from said countershai't whilst allowing the other to revolve freely, means for braking the rotational-said drum, and a handm for rotating one of said teed-rolls from t t: oountershaft, and in for selectively operating either the said -rotating means or the said rolhrotating m from said countershait whilst allowing the other oi. said rotating means to rotate freely.

id. Transportable apparatus for temporarily is electric cables and for I recovery oi laid cables, comprising a carrier, a rotatable cablecarriedby said carrier, rotatable cableiced. rolls, said rolls being held towards one another by spring pressure and being supported on said carrier, a beam pivoted at one end and locatedin an approximately vertical position intermediate of said drum and said feed rolls, a rotatable counter it carried at the other end of said beam, said counter shalt forming a powertranarnission member common to said drum and said iced rolls, means for displacing said beam irom one side to the other of the vertical, means for driving either said feed rolls or said cabledrum from said countershaft, a motor adapted to drive said countershait, and a driving connection between said motor and said countershai't,

with, a tilting beam pivotally mounted at its lower end on said base, a countershaft carried by the upper end of said beam, said countershai't forming a power-transmission member common to said-feed rolls and said drum, means for displacing sai'd tilting beam to either side of the H vertical, a motor also mounted on said base and including a driving shaft coaxial with the pivot of said tilting beam, 9. first-motion drive from said driving shaft to said countershaitand second-motion drives from said countershaft to said co-operating feed roll and to said storage drum, said second motion drives being operated selectively by displacement of said tilting beam for laying cable from said drum or for recovery of cable on to said drum respectively.

12. A transportable reeling device, comprising a rotatable storage drum, guide rolls, a source of power, and alternatively operative means for rotating by the power 0! said source either said storage drum to reel in material over said guide rolls 'or said guide rolls to roll out material from said storage drum, said rotating means being operable during transportation of said reeling device.

TREVANIQN mars. 1 

